Restaurants in Monterey offer fine dining and casual bistros with menus inspired by the California coast. The food scene in the county is made up of modern American cuisine and dishes inspired by the other cultures and communities in California.
Monterey’s restaurants are well known for serving fresh, local seafood and dishes inspired by nearby Mexico and European countries Italy and France. Choose from stylish, industrial-style interiors or cosy little dining rooms. Monterey has restaurants for date nights, catching up with friends, or celebrating a special occasion. What are the best restaurants in Monterey?
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Cultura Comida y Bebida
Enjoy food inspired by Oaxaca in a warm and casual setting
- Food
Cultura comida y bebida serves food inspired by the traditional flavours of Oaxaca in Mexico. Located in a historic courtyard in the heart of the small beach city of Carmel-by-the-Sea on California’s Central Coast, the restaurant is inspired by the travels of its owners.
With a casual atmosphere, this eatery is perfect for intimate dining and meeting up with friends and family. Choose from cosy indoor seating or outside. Enjoy dishes like enchiladas, tacos, and steak alongside unique cocktails and traditional mezcal. Food is designed to be shared and enjoyed.
Location: Dolores, between 5th Avenue & 6th Avenue Su Vecino Courtyard, Carmel-by-the-Sea, California 93921, USA
Open: Tuesday–Sunday from 5 pm to 9 pm (closed on Mondays)
Phone: +1 831-250-7005
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La Bicyclette
Simple European food and flavours made using local produce
- Couples
- Food
La Bicyclette is a cosy European bistro serving simple meals using traditional ingredients and cooking techniques. Located in the beautiful city of Carmel-by-the-Sea, the chefs at La Bicyclette source local ingredients to use in their dishes. This focus on local produce means that the menu is updated each week, inspired by seasonality.
All the food is freshly prepared in the restaurant’s bijou kitchen, which has a wood-fired oven and a six-burner stove. Dishes are traditionally inspired with added creativity and innovation and include French and Italian classics like oysters mornay, boeuf bourguignon, and octopus salad. There’s also a selection of wood-fired pizzas.
Location: 7th Avenue & Dolores Street, Carmel, California 93923, USA
Open: Monday–Thursday from 11 am to 9 pm, Friday–Sunday from 8.30 am to 10.30 am and 11 am to 9 pm
Phone: +1 831-622-9899
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Montrio
Sustainable fine dining in comfort in city centre Monterey
- Food
- Luxury
Montrio offers a fine dining experience using seasonal ingredients and sustainable produce. Located in the heart of city centre Monterey, Montrio serves European and American dishes and is one of the five greenest restaurants in Monterey.
You’ll find items like steak, catch of the day, and risotto on the menu. There are vegetarian options too. Add an extensive cocktail, wine, and craft beer menu, and you’ve got the recipe for a great meal out. Choose to sit inside or enjoy the weather outside on the patio while you eat some tasty local food.
Location: 414 Calle Principal, Monterey, California 93940, USA
Open: Sunday–Thursday from 5 pm to 9 pm, Friday–Saturday from 5 pm to 10 pm
Phone: +1 831-648-8880
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Chez Noir
Modern seafood recipes created with locally sourced ingredients
- Food
- Luxury
Chez Noir serves delicious seafood inspired by the Californian coast. Situated in the seaside city of Carmel-by-the-Sea, the restaurant is located on one of the charming streets for which the area is known. Run by a husband and wife team, Chez Noir offers a twist on traditional fine dining with warm hospitality, everyday luxury, and seasonal ingredients.
You can sit in the dining room, at the bar, or outside in the courtyard while you enjoy hand-crafted dishes, including salads, fresh seafood, and steaks. There’s even the option to add caviar to any of the starters if you’re feeling fancy.
Location: 5th Avenue between Dolores and San Carlos Street, Carmel-by-the-Sea, California 93921, USA
Open: Tuesday–Thursday from 5.30 pm to 10.30 pm, Friday–Saturday from 5.30 am to 11 pm (closed on Sundays and Mondays)
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Passionfish
Casual restaurant serving sustainable, locally sourced seafood
- Food
Passionfish is an award-winning restaurant specialising in the simple pleasures of food, wine, and good company. This eatery is situated in the classic American coastal town of Pacific Grove, which has a stunning Californian coastline. Dishes are created using local ingredients sourced from sustainable farms, fisheries, and farmers markets.
Alongside your meal, enjoy one of the fantastic wines available here, which are often sustainably produced. The menu focuses on top quality, fresh seafood. Choose from scallops, shrimps, and mussels or fish like trout, halibut, and tuna.
Location: 701 Lighthouse Avenue, Pacific Grove, California 93950, USA
Open: Daily from 5 pm to 9 pm
Phone: +1 831-655-3311
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Bistro Moulin
Cosy European bistro serving classic French cuisine
- Couples
- Food
Bistro Moulin is a cosy European bistro serving hearty comfort food and delicious wines to go with it. The restaurant is located on Cannery Row, Monterey. Decorated in the style of a traditional French village restaurant, Bistro Moulin is a great place to enjoy a romantic meal for 2.
The menu is inspired by traditional French dishes and features steamed mussels, cheese assortments, and snails, making for an immersive experience. You’d be forgiven for thinking you’d stepped straight out of California and into Europe. Vegetarian options are also available.
Location: 867 Wave Street, Monterey, California 93940, USA
Open: Wednesday–Saturday from 4 pm to 9 pm, Sunday from 4 pm to 8.30 pm (closed on Mondays and Tuesdays)
Phone: +1 831-333-1200
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Roam
Modern craft bakery serving food made using organic ingredients
- Food
Roam is a restaurant serving fusion dishes inspired by the melting pot of cultures in Los Angeles. You can find this stylish restaurant in the coastal city of Carmel-by-the-Sea. The food here is innovative and full of flavour.
The owners of Roam and Rise are a diverse team of Asian-American and Latin-American partners with different backgrounds. The food is inspired by the cooking that their families did while they were growing up. These traditional dishes have had new flavours and ingredients added to them to create something new. It's comfort food but with a twist.
Location: Mission Street & 7th Avenue, Carmel-by-the-Sea, California 93923, USA
Open: Sunday–Monday from 7 am to 9 pm, Tuesday–Saturday from 7 am to 9 pm
Phone: +1 831-574-2900
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Foray
Upscale eatery serving local comfort food and fish dishes
- Food
- Luxury
Foray is a fine dining restaurant specialising in modern American cuisine and ingredients sourced locally on the Pacific West Coast. The restaurant is in Carmel-by-the-Sea and makes the most of the resources that can be found nearby.
Run by a husband and wife team, the focus here is on seasonal produce and ingredients sourced locally or even foraged. A real family affair, the couple also has a dog who hunts for truffles to be used in the recipes. Enjoy craft cocktails, an extensive wine list, and dishes like tenderloin, roast cod, and cauliflower steak in a relaxed, approachable atmosphere.
Location: NEC San Carlos Street & 5th Avenue, Carmel-by-the-Sea, California 93921, USA
Open: Thursday–Sunday from 5 pm to 9 pm (closed Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays)
Phone: +1 831-250-6100
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Maligne
Enjoy classic American dining with contemporary European influences
- Food
- Luxury
Maligne serves contemporary European and classic American dishes in an industrial-style setting. Maligne is located in Seaside, on the Monterey Peninsula. Here, ingredients are fermented and dehydrated to create exciting new flavours.
Local ingredients from farms and the sea inspire the seafood-focused menu. Some of the most popular wood-fired seafood dishes here include yellowfin tuna, grilled prawns, and lobster rolls. These fine dining dishes are created using centuries-old techniques and traditions, and old mixes perfectly with new when served in this contemporary setting.
Location: 600 Broadway Avenue, Seaside, California 93955, USA
Open: Wednesday–Saturday from 5.30 pm to 9.45 pm, Sunday from 11.30 am to 2.30 pm (closed on Mondays and Tuesdays)
Phone: +1 831-601-1302
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Cella
Farm-to-table fine dining in a cosy and intimate setting
- Couples
- Food
- Luxury
Cella Restaurant & Bar offers simple farm-to-table fine dining with a welcoming atmosphere. Situated in the heart of Monterey on California’s central coast, Cella’s neighbors include hip bars in converted factories and boutique shops. The menu here is simple and straightforward, the dishes fitting onto just one page. Main dishes include risotto, short rib, and chicken.
From the outside, Cella Restaurant & Bar looks like a pretty village house with bright blue doors and window frames. Inside, Cella Restaurant & Bar has a cosy, warm atmosphere. There is local art on the walls, an abundance of polished wooden furniture, and banquette seating.
Location: 525 Polk Street, Monterey, California 93940, USA
Open: Tuesday–Friday from 5.30 pm to 9 pm (closed on Sundays and Mondays)
Phone: +1 831-920-1046
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